Harry Potter Forums

Posts: 104 · Joined: Jun 12, 2008 Posts: 104

When a Seer makes a prediction/prophecy,is it automatically recorded into the hall of prophecy,or does someone else have to hear it for it to go into the hall of prophecy?

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

I'm not sure how to answer this.

I'm going to answer the questions backwards, because it's easier for me that way.

I don't remember it saying exactly in the books, but I'm almost positive that a prophecy can't even be made without some one to hear it. I see a prophecy as a metaphorical triangle. There have to be three points (The speaker, the hearer, and the subject) that are connected through this prophecy. Prophecies are very mystical, and it hardly seems logical that a prophecy could be made with no one to hear it. I'll look up some things after I post this.

I'm also not sure about whether a prophecy show up automatically in the Hall of Prophecies, but I'm willing to bet that that is a negative. There is some one who keep track of the prophecies. I'm not sure what that person is called . . . I'll look it up and post it in a little while. That person manually changed Harry and Voldemort's prophecy, so I think that the prophecies have to be put into the hall by people. This person may magically know about a prophecy directly after is happens, though.
I
_________________

Posts: 24343 · Posted: June 28, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

^Unspeakables, you mean? They're the ones that work in the Dept of Mysteries.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/ministry/ministry-mysteries.html
_________________

Breathing is optional.
Look, Bella, look.

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

Posts: 24343 · Posted: June 28, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject:

^I can't remember that. Confused

_________________

Breathing is optional.
Look, Bella, look.

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

*does a little dance* I found it . . . get this . . . In the book! haha . . . I searched online for it for so long. DD said "It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecies," and that was where I saw it. I don't know if that is an official title since keeper is not capitalized, but I knew it was referenced somewhere.

It's on the American version of OotP on page 842.
_________________

Posts: 104 · Joined: Jun 12, 2008 Posts: 104

The 'the three points' makes sense.What you said about someone who keeps track of the prophecies reminds me of what Dumbldore said to Harry in book 5 chap.The Lost Prophecy page 540-"The thing that smashed was merely the record of the prophecy kept by the Department of Mysteries.But the prophecy was made to somebody,and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly."-That supports what you said about people keeping track of prophecies made,and maybe them being made to people.What if it's ministry law that if you hear a prophecy you report it to them and they keep a record?

I can't remember if Harry told Dumbldore about the prophecy he heard in Book 3,all I know is the chapter was called 'Professor Trelawney's Prediction'.But I don't think that prophecy was recorded/reported to the ministry so how could they know about all of them?.I'm to lazy to go and get the book right now-I was reading order of the phoenix today so...

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

^ I'm also pretty sure that DD said not all prophecies have been recorded since they made the hall of prophecies. I don't think that it's that important that they record them. I just think it's done for the people who think that prophecies are important. Remember before the hall was there, none of the prophecies were recorded like that.
_________________

Posts: 104 · Joined: Jun 12, 2008 Posts: 104

Good point,so we can say that not all prophecies are recorded or heard....I need to know if all prophecies are heard because in a fanfiction I'm writing I would like to have a prophecy but not have anybody hear it.

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

A prophecy has to be heard. It would be pointless if it's not heard, because hearing a prophecy causes a person to act on it. If nobody hears it, then it's as if it never existed. Keeping the prophecies in the hall of prophecies is a mere formality, and it shouldn't be confused with the important parts of a prophecy. Here is a short essay that you might find useful on the lexicon:

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-sibylls.html
_________________

Posts: 3250 · Posted: June 28, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject:

For a prophecy to be induced into the Dept., im guessing it has to be heard by another person, and reported. Only reported ones would be in the Hall of Proph., and im guessing only important ones too. im sure that there have been prophecies about what time a person will have to use the restroom, but that was not put into the hall Laughing

_________________

Posts: 24343 · Posted: June 28, 2008 10:34 pm Post subject:

Perhaps the prophecies in the Hall of Prophecies are the ones who've been heard? And the ones that aren't heard do not make it into the Hall of Prophecies?
I still wonder how the prophecies make it there in the first place... do they get reported by a person or does it get reported magically? I tend to leabe towards the magic way.
_________________

Breathing is optional.
Look, Bella, look.

Posts: 3250 · Posted: June 28, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

I would think that they get reported both by magic and by person. If a squib hears a prophecy, is it still reported by magic? Or is it the magic in the seer that reports the propphecy? Hmm... Confused

_________________

Posts: 16487 · Posted: June 29, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject:

I don't think a prophecy HAS to be heard. yes, it would be like it never happened if it wasn't...but I bet it could happen taht way. unless whatever sends the prophecy only sends them when someone can hear it. I'm more interested in HOW the prophecies are given to the Seer and why.
_________________

Posts: 9589 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 9589

The idea of a prophecy that's not heard is absurd. A prophecy is supposed to be an insight into the future. If it's not heard, then there is no insight into the future since nobody actually got it. It sort of reminds me of the tree in the woods falling when no one is around to hear it thing . . .

Is a prophecy even a prophecy if there is no one there to hear it?
_________________

Posts: 96 · Joined: Jun 20, 2008 Location: The Burrow, MI Posts: 96

yeah! i would think so. although that prophecy would be pointless because no one heard it.
_________________
Patronus: Lion! (meow)
Animagi Form: Otter
Wand: 11 2/3", Oak, Veela
Oak = Wisdom, endurance, protection, and authority.
Veela Hair = slightly unpredictable but very powerful.

Posts: 24343 · Posted: June 29, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject:

Posts: 104 · Joined: Jun 12, 2008 Posts: 104

There may not be a human there to hear it,but what about mice,birds,or snakes-if there happen to be some around.They may not understand what the seer is saying but they can hear them.

Harry Potter Forums

Harry Potter Community and Bulletin Boards